Question

In an inelastic collision, cart A of mass 100kg is moving to the right at 10m/s toward cart B of mass 200kg which is at rest. Then, both carts stick together and move at the same velocity. What is that final velocity? show your answer

Answer 1

Answer:

  3.33 m/s to the right

Explanation:

Momentum is conserved, so you have ...

  (m1·v1) +(m2·v2) = (m1+m2)v

  v = (m1·v1 +m2·v2)/(m1+m2)

  = ((100 kg)(10 m/s) +(200 kg)(0 m/s))/(100 kg +200 kg)

  = (1/3)(10 m/s) ≈ 3.33 m/s

The final velocity is about 3.33 m/s to the right.

Answer 2

Hi there!

With the conservation of momentum:

pi = pf

Thus:

m1v1 + m2v2 = m1v1' + m2v2'

Since Cart B (object 2) is originally at rest and the two objects "stick" together, we can write the equation as:

m1v1 = (m1 + m2)vf

Rearrange to solve for the final velocity:

m1v1/(m1 + m2) = vf

Plug in values:

(100)(10)/(100 + 200) = 3.33 m/s